We Happy Few
by Statik27
Summary: The Dark Lord Voldemort has been defeated and the Wizarding World hopes to usher in a time of renewed peace and security. But as Harry Potter readies to go out into the world as fully qualified wizard, the evil that shaped his childhood and his adult life
1. Chapter 1

WE HAPPY FEW

Chapter One:

…and darkness came with him.

He held his wand out before him, walking slowly along a little used and perhaps nearly unknown passage, deep within the damp, moldy bowls of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The yellowish light reflected along crumbling stone bricks obviously in need of repair, and the tell-tale signs of an enthusiastic population of rodents.

Draco Malfoy, seventh year Slytherin, wasn't suppose to be here. He was supposed to be up in the Great Hall, enjoying a comfortable meal with what was left of his housemates. But he couldn't think on these dark thoughts, he had been called for.

"Who's there?" Draco whispered, hearing a shuffling of feet up ahead.

Moving his wand left to right across the passage he caught sight of a pair of bare feet sticking out from beneath black robes.

"Draco?" said a voice from the darkness.

Draco lifted his light slowly and stepped back in horror. "Father!"

Lucius Malfoy once a wizard of great esteems in _some_ circles; now came before his son as a fugative from justice, chased by the Order and Ministry wizards alike. The immaculate appearance and arrogance was no more. Torn and Matted robes hugged his gaunt form and dirt covered every exposed area of skin.

"Father!" Whispered Draco heavily again. "You mustn't be here, the whole of England is looking for you."

"Shut up you fool boy and listen, we haven't much time. I'll let you get back to your little community of mudbloods and blood traitors in a moment." Lucius spat.

Draco closed his mouth and produced his patented smirk. It was true; that in the fall out of the Dark Lord's defeat Draco had been spared consequence. His farther wisely had persuaded the Dark Lord to not give Draco the dark mark of a DeathEater. He had felt slighted at first. His bumbling _friends_ Crabbe and Goyle had taken the mark upon reaching their majority. But as the wizarding world fell towards the abyss of war over the last year and finally ending with the fall of the Dark Lord, Draco was relieved to have stayed neutral to either side.

He had of course suffered embarrassment at the hands of his housemates; but many of _them_ were not around now.

"Draco." Said Lucius, breaking him out of his thoughts. " I've come to speak to you of family matters. I fear I will be caught soon and stripped of my fortune. It will be up to you to see that the Malfoy's continue on as we have for centuries."

Draco nodded his head in understanding. That had been the reason, at least his father's real motive for keeping Draco out of the fray; someone had to continue in the family name.

"You must…. you must marry soon Draco."

Draco furrowed his brow. "Marry, father, I've only just turned seventeen."

"This is why you've been spared Draco, you must marry to keep the titles and the lands, reaching your majority isn't enough, the Malfoy fortune is still endangered. With my permanent imprisonment or dishonorable death the money will be stripped from us." Lucius lowered his voice and leaned closer to his son. " It is wizarding law that criminals must pay restitution for their crimes…unless upon my death the inheritance would revert to an uninvolved heir that has met his majority and married in the eyes of the law, thus having proved their intentions as a contributor to wizarding community."

Draco's breath caught in his chest. "You mean, I would be destitute, I would be out on my arse, so to speak?"

"Yes completely undone, no money, no house, no honor."

Draco gulped audibly.

"Now, Draco, it's almost completely taken care of. I've spoken to our lawyers and they believe that they can tie the case up in court for perhaps a year, maybe more, it will be up to you to make sure you've married before it comes to a head."

"But…" Draco shook his head in frustration; it was madness, _Marry!_ "I can't just do something like that, who am I to marry, I've got no prospects now as it is, and your telling me I have to meet, woo, engage, and marry sometime in the next eighteen months, your mad, its impossible!"

"Pull yourself together boy! Its your duty, this is what I've raised you for, provided your every wish, so that you would someday protect what our family has worked for centuries to attain!"

"What?" said Draco.

Lucius growled in frustration and with surprising strength, struck his son across the face.

Draco fell heavily to the floor; his wand clattered against the brick and spun light and green sparks against every wall.

Lucius looked down at his son, eerily haloed by the dim wand light. "I cannot believe that you my son, are such a fool. Do you understand what you are? DO YOU?"

Draco rubbed his chin and stared blankly back at the madman before him.

"You my son, are a Malfoy! A Pureblooded wizard, one of the last respectable bloodlines in our world, that is what we are Draco, a dying breed of superior men. It's what I've been trying to protect at the expense of my humanity for decades!" Lucius ran a hand through his matted hair. " I put my trust in the power of the Dark Lord, and he failed our family Draco." Lucius let out a cackle. "And he was a bloody mudblood himself!"

"What?" Whispered Draco.

"Yes, Lord Voldemort, was a damned half-blood himself, he had a pathetic muggle for a father, can you imagine! No wonder he failed us!" Lucius paced once across the passageway and leaned heavily against the wall supporting himself with his hands and hanged his head. "Now that my time and the time of my fellow Death Eaters is over, its up to you to continue the struggle; by marrying a pureblooded witch and making sure the next generation of Malfoy's know the truth of our heritage."

Draco's heart sunk in his chest. His father was a powerful wizard and here he was beaten and broken by his ideals. No man should feel that defeat, no one.

He pulled himself up off the floor and stepped up to the wall leaning next to his father. "Alright, I'll marry, I'll show the world what it means to be a Malfoy; I'll show them what a pureblood wizard can do."

Lucius turned to his son, and grinned hideously. " I know you will Draco."

"So what am I to do, most of the respectable pureblood witches are in prison, or 'ave died, and I won't just marry anyone, she'll have to be beautiful of course, and refined…. like mother I suppose."

"Yes." Said Lucius, he smirked at his son. " She will be, once you've taught her a lesson or two, and have gotten the stench of _him_ off of her."

Draco arched an eyebrow at him " So you have someone in mind then?"

"Tell me Draco, what pureblooded witch, that is in this castle right now, would it give you the most pleasure of taking as your wife."

" We'll, there is this witch is Ravenclaw that isn't bad, but…"

"No, No, your thinking to small, think deeper, think like a Slytherin for god sakes!"

Draco searched his mind for a moment, and then looked sharply up at his father. "No." He said, and then added, " your mad! Your trying to get me killed!"

Lucius chuckled under his breath. " But imagine it son, it would break him, you would finally have victory over him and all the other mudblood's and blood traitors!"

"It can't be done, she'd never accept me, and you killed one of her brothers for Christ sakes!"

"Yes but she's got to many as it is. And besides, your not me are you, you stayed out of it, despite my urging you to join the ranks, you've lost your family, and all your friends, you're practically _HIM!_"

"Yes," said Draco " and what about him, he's too powerful as you well know, I can't defeat him, not in a duel, and if I tried to take her from him, it would come to that you know."

" There are other way's to defeat powerful foes Draco." Said Lucius, as he reached into torn robes and pulled out a potion vile.

"Poison?" laughed Draco. "You lot tried that remember, twice, and both times, his magic simply over powered it, it wouldn't let it kill him."

"No, my son, this isn't poison, this is a very powerful muscle relaxant, it isn't meant to kill, just provide a certain loss of control."

Draco frowned at the vile for a moment, trying to envision the effects. Then smiled up at his father "Oh, yes" he said smirking " yes I see."

" Exactly." Said Lucius " Think of it, with Potter out of the way, you would be free to pursue the Weasley girl and take revenge on that whole family of blood traitors."

Draco thought for a moment, marry the Weasley girl, it would be too rich, he could just imagine what that would do to Potter, it would break him completely, ruin him. He liked the idea immensely.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Simply Deadly

_Smoke from hundreds of potted curse marks upon the ground filled his nostrils. The screams of wounded and dying from both sides pounded in his head and, a threat of nightmarish cold dread filled his heart as he looked into those cold red orbs across from him. It had finally come down to this, the prophecy had to be fulfilled one way or another._

_ "Harry Potter." Whispered Voldemort_

_ "Tom." Said Harry simply_

_ Lord Voldemort's face scrunched into a grimace, if you could call it that, the tightly drawn grayish skin left little room for facial expressions._

_ "It would be wise not to anger me Harry Potter, I can make this very painful for you."_

_ "No more so than you already have Tom, you can't inflict pain where it's no longer felt." Said Harry as he twirled his wand in his left hand._

_ Voldemort eyes bored into Harry's and he felt the disgusting thing push against the barrier in his mind. " I see Dumbledore has been teaching you to protect your mind, I had wondered were you had been all these months."_

_ It was true that the Headmaster had worked endlessly with Harry to protect his mind against intrusion, but it wasn't entirely the reason for Harry's release from Voldemort's attacks._

_ " You might say Tom, that I've come into my own over the last few years."_

_ Voldemort smiled. " A duel then Potter, think you can manage against my Power!" he raised his wand to the ready, and Harry mirrored his stance with is own._

_ The fight continued around them, curse light and hexes filled the air, but for this one brief moment in the Great Battle of Hogwarts, time seemed to stop._

_ "Crucio." Cried Voldemort_

_ Harry wordlessly batted the curse away with the flick of his wand "You'll have to get trickier then that Tom."_

_ Voldemort gave a cry and brought his wand across his body in a slashing motion sending a purple flame at Harry, who stepped to the side and sent a severing charm back at his attacker. Voldemort conjured a protégo shield, which sent the curse careening off into the night sky._

_ "Quick Potter, very Quick." Said Voldemort_

_ "Are you going to quit playing with me now Tom?" asked Harry quietly_

_ Voldemort narrowed his eyes, but a smile crept across his snake like features. "As you wish, Harry."_

_……………………………………………………._

"Harry? Harry! Are you listening?"

Harry shook his head breaking his thoughts. His best friend Hermione Granger gave him a sympathetic look and turned her attention back to the Headmaster who was giving his end of year speech.

"…and I would like to congratulate you all on your combined and commendable efforts in what has been a trying time for us all. As I look over all your young faces my heart soars with a hope for better times ahead." Smiling the Headmaster clapped his hands together. "Now tuck in!"

A cheer rose up from the tables on every side of Harry, as numerous dishes appeared from nowhere.

Ron Weasley, Harry's other best friend gave a cry of his own from across the table, and attacked a Sheppard's pie fiercely.

Harry looked around the Hall. It was strange to have come to the end of his time here. It seemed like only a few moments had passed since he had just been sorted into Gryffindor, and was being welcomed by Percy Weasley at his first year feast. _Percy, Harry thought, had been a good friend._ Yes only a few moments, but a lifetime of experiences.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Said a voice quietly next to him.

"Yeah, Gin, I'm fine." Ginny Weasley, gave him a sidelong glance that clearly said she didn't believe him, but went back to eating all the same.

_Little Ginny Weasley_, Harry chuckled to himself. Sometimes, Harry had found that others knew what was best for him, more so then he did. Ginny, the girl he had watched his first time on the Hogwarts express, run after the train crying. Ginny was the girl who had sent him the most embarrassing valentine of his life his second year. The girl he had saved from Tom Riddle's diary that same year, creating a bond between them, which somehow grew stronger every year after without him noticing.

While Ron and Hermione were still the best friends a wizard could ask for, it was Ginny he knew, that had saved him.

After Sirius had died in his fifth year, Harry had withdrawn into himself even more. He tried everything he could to distance himself from them, not answering letters they sent him and the like. He even refused to go to Grimauld Place that summer when he was given permission. He was drowning in depression for weeks, hating himself for being stupid, hating Dumbledore for not telling him things, and hating Sirius for dying.

But the youngest Weasley would have none of that.

One morning she had shown up at the Dursley's doorstep, much to their dismay, and simply announced _"Hi I'm Ginny Weasley and I'm here to kill Harry Potter_". What followed was an explosive row, with many threats, a couple of tears, and Harry earning a grudging respect for Ginny Weasley.

Harry watched her now, as she ate and chatted animatedly with Neville. He liked watching her like this when he knew she didn't know. How funny it had taken him so long to notice her. She _was_ beautiful. He knew every part of her face so well now, he couldn't remember a time that he hadn't, well actually he could. It had been the moment he realized he _wanted_ to know every part of her that was the turning point…

…………………………………………………………….

_Harry entered the Great Hall, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. Dumbledore had kept him up to midnight running through Occlumency exercises. He was making progress; he just wished that he could make it at an earlier hour._

_ He took his seat at the table and grabbed a piece of toast mindlessly and started buttering it. He heard a snigger from across the table and looked up into Ginny's mischievous eyes, smiling at him from behind her hand._

_ "Tired this morning Harry?" she said_

_ "No." he said groggily as he closed his eyes "well… maybe a bit."_

_ "I can tell."_

_ Harry opened his eyes, and looked up at her. "Why's that?"_

_ "Because." She said laughing, " I just watched you try to spread salt on your toast."_

_ Harry looked down at his piece of toast that now had a thin layer of white on it. He put it down on his plate and sighed. " I wasn't that hungry anyway."_

_ "Do you need me to do it for you, the way mum use to do ours when we were little, I'll even do the old …open wide little Harry and let the broom fly in, there's a good lad." She made a flying motion with her hand._

_ "Shut it you."_

_ Ginny threw back her head and laughed. "Well I'm off to charms, see you later sleepy head." She got up and swung her bag over her shoulder. "Oh and the odd couple said they'd meet you at class, something about prefect duties, I personally think they went off to snog somewhere. See ya later." Harry laughed as she left; the odd couple was Ron and Hermione apparently._

_ Harry grabbed another piece of toast as she walked away, this time meticulously aiming for the butter with his knife._

_ Someone gave a low whistle a little ways down the table._

_ "See Dean, number one on my list."_

_ "Yeah, I've got her at number three, buts that's only 'cause of the danger involved."_

_ Harry took a bite of his toast trying to tune out the conversation, but something attracted him to this one._

_ "I know, Weasley would kill either of us, but I can't help it, she's gorgeous!"_

_ "What are you two talking about?" Said Harry_

_ Seamus eyed him for a moment. "Well." He said, " You know that Halloween ball they've announced." _

_ Harry nodded, he had heard the announcement at dinner the previous evening, but really, another ball, he was just getting over the scarring from the last one._

_ " Dean and I have decided that the easiest way to narrow down the prospects is to compile a list, and rank them accordingly."_

_ "Rank them according to what?"_

_ " You know, looks, personality, that sort of thing. That way we just cross off the ones that don't suit us or aren't available."_

_ " So who were you talking about just now?"_

_ Dean and Seamus shared a look. "Come on Potter, surely you know." Said Dean._

_"Know what." Asked Harry._

_ "Ginny." Said Seamus. " She's pretty much tops out of the Gryffindor lot, maybe for the school." Dean nodded his agreement. _

_ "Er…" said Harry_

_ " I mean, look at her hair, all red and wavy. Her skin is like white china." Seamus' eyes had glazed over slightly_

_ "Not to mention her OTHER qualities." Said Dean sharing another look with Seamus, which both made them break into chuckles._

_ Harry suddenly didn't like these two very much; in fact his hand seemed to be twitching toward his wand in rhythm with the pounding in his head. They couldn't possible mean…. Ginny, Ginny Weasley, his good friend, who had laughed with him and cried with him when it counted. Ginny who until about a year ago had blushed at the mention of his name? She was Ron's little Sister for god sakes. Just a little…. Something seemed to break in his mind; it was like a wave of memories over the last few months, and then going back over the years. She really wasn't all that little, in fact she was just over a year younger then he was. She was in fact a young woman now._

_ Harry's head gave a peculiar throb of pain, and then he stood up._

_ Turning to Dean and Seamus as he walked passed them "You'll have to take Ginny off the list mates."_

_ Seamus made an indignant sound. _

_ "Why's that?" asked Dean_

_ " She doesn't meet your criteria." And with that he stormed out of the Great Hall. _

…………………………………………..

Harry rolled his eyes at the memory. He must have sounded like a pompous git when he had told them that, but really, no more so then they sounded talking about their _list._ He had stormed out of the Great Hall, and ran up three flights of stairs to catch Ginny on the way to charms.

That conversation could have gone better he supposed. In fact it could have gone a lot better. Apparently Ginny didn't like being told in no uncertain terms that she had to go to the ball with him simply because-_ No one else will be making any list about your OTHER qualities but ME! _Yes, very smooth Potter. It was no wonder Ginny had gotten so hacked off at him; she flat refused to accompany him.

But as the ball approached, it appeared that Ginny had refused to go with anyone else either, and they spent Halloween night having a quiet, but interesting conversation in the Gryffindor Common room.

And the rest as they say is history….

Neville Longbottom took a deep breath and looked around at all of his friends, there were loads of them he was happy to say. When he had begun his time here at Hogwarts, he had been a shy, and perpetually unconfident boy. He hadn't really excelled in anything; he didn't know anyone and had no expectations of making many friends. That had changed over time; he had made tentative friendships with his dorm mates, which had grown stronger with every year. Yet, it wasn't until the end of his fifth year that he had felt he truly belonged with a group of people.

That year he had follow the trio on one of their notorious adventures, though afterwards he had realize how incredibly stupid it had been to go along, but he was glad. Down there, in the depths of the Department of Mysteries, he had found his strength and his desire to fight the evil that had shaped his life and the life of his friends. He had stood face to face with his parents' tormenters, even receiving the _Cruciatus _from Bellatrix, but he had fought. He thanked Merlin for that chance and the many that followed to prove his worth as a Wizard.

"So Neville, what do you plan to do now that you've graduated?" said Ginny next to him.

"Oh, well, Professor Sprout has asked me to come on next year as apprentice, I figured it couldn't hurt, Herbology is all I'm really good at, so…."

"Nonsense Neville." Said Ginny. " You can do loads of things, and don't say you can't."

" Well, really I was quite pleased, I mean maybe someday I'll be able to teach, I think I would like that."

Ginny smiled at him, and Neville, who had always had a soft spot for Ginny Weasley smiled back. It wasn't that Neville fancied her or anything; it was just that Ginny had always had a kind word for him, even when no one else had.

Someone cleared their throat behind them, and Neville looked up into the stern but kindly face of Deputy Headmistress McGonagall.

"Miss Weasley, would you be so kind as follow Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley to my office, we must discuss the Security for tomorrow's train ride." As McGonagall swept away, Neville saw Ginny make a face at her.

"Bloody Prefect Duties, I swear I think Fred and George had it right, it's all rubbish." She gave Neville a wane smile and then turned to Harry; she whispered something in his ear and then with a peck on his cheek followed Ron and Hermione out of the Hall.  
Neville watched the other house prefects leave their tables and follow their respective heads of house to discuss security for the following day. Despite the fall of You Know Who, there was still danger, and many of his friends had the responsibility to protect the other students. Really, Neville knew, they all shared that responsibility.

Harry, who wasn't a prefect like himself, and who looked quite pleased about it, turned to him.

"Alright there Neville?"

"Yeah, just a little down I 'spose, can't believe the next time I'm here, I'll be part of the faculty."

Harry smiled at him, but his smile change to a grimace as something caught his eye behind him.

"What do you want?" Harry said

Neville turned in his seat and saw Draco Malfoy standing quietly behind him. He balanced from one foot to the other, as if deciding what to say.

"Well, I… I just wanted to have a word, you know, before we left for good." Said Draco in a small voice.

" Well say it then."

Neville saw Draco glance over to him. Harry seeing this said, "You can say whatever you have to in front of Neville."

Neville looked up at Malfoy and gave him a glare of his own. He saw the Slytherin swallow nervously.

"May I sit?"

Harry gave him a hard look and then motioned to the seat next to him. Neville thought how strange this would have been a year or more ago, but after all that had gone on, it wasn't all that hard to imagine.

Much to everyone's surprise, Malfoy hadn't been found out to be a Death Eater along with many of the upper classmen in his house. In fact there were rumors that Snape had personally vouched for his innocence to the ministry, which while it pained Neville enormously, held quite a bit of weight. The headmaster had proclaimed Snape a Hero in the aftermath of You Know Who's fall from power, for his valiant and dangerous task as a spy for the order. Snape was the only member of the order that had insight into who was actually in Voldemort's ranks, and he swore that Draco held no blame.

People in Gryffindor, like Harry and Neville, still had reason to dislike the boy; six years of animosity between them was hard to forget after all, but perhaps a little forgiveness might be managed.

"Well." Said Harry sharply.

" I just wanted you to know that I…I don't want to fight with you anymore Potter." Said Draco staring down at a goblet that he was rolling in his hands. "I didn't want to leave here without telling you that."

Harry simply nodded and waited for him to continue.

"I know that we've had our differences"

Harry snorted

Draco looked up at him. "Yeah I guess that doesn't really cover it, but I just thought you should know, I'm not my father. When I was younger he tried to teach me to be strong, like he thought he was, but as I got older and with the help of Professor Snape, I realized that being strong may have a very different meaning then what I was taught." Draco screwed up his face in thought. " And I know that my actions in the past have shown differently, but really, I'm very jealous of your strength, your conviction I guess. You've always known where you stand in the world, and I guess, I'm just finding out now, its all a bit confusing really."

Harry's expression softened a bit. Neville wasn't sure what he thought; it was so un-Malfoy to admit a wrong; hearing it first hand was a bit disconcerting.

Harry sat quietly a moment, and Draco stood to leave.

"Wait." Said Harry, before Draco got his leg over the bench.

Harry sighed greatly and then raised a hand to pull Draco back into his seat.

"Your wrong about me Draco. I've never felt comfortable with myself. In fact before I came here to Hogwarts I never really knew who or what I was. I was always told by my relatives I was a freak or something." Harry turned and caught Draco's eye. " I probably know just how you feel right now."

Draco nodded his head staring down into his pumkin juice.

"Attention, Attention Please." Professor Dumbledore had stood from his place behind the head table. "At this time I think it would be best if we retire for the evening. I would like to remind you that the Hogwarts Express will be leaving Hogsmeade station at eleven am precisely, so make sure you have collected the majority of your items this evening. For those of you who will not be returning, thank you for making a most enjoy time of the last seven years and to those of you that are we will see you in September. Good Evening." Dumbledore took his seat again and watched the students in the hall start rising from their seats to return to their common rooms. There was only so much room the double doors could manage and the students as usual became backed up as if in a bottleneck.

Neville turned back to the conversation with Draco to find him standing to leave.

"Well thanks for the chat Potter." He stuck out his hand to Harry, just as he had nearly seven years before.

Harry looked at the hand for a moment and then with only a slight frown, took it in his own. "Stay out of trouble Draco." He said seriously.

" I will." Malfoy said and walked away.

Harry scooted over to occupy the seat next to Neville.

"Er…that was different." Neville said.

"Yeah, didn't know the git had it in him."

Harry brought his goblet up to his lips and took a drink, taking a look at the still crowded doors. "What do you reckon Neville." He said after he swallowed. "Think we'll make it out on our own."

Neville nodded. "Nothing can stop us I guess. So what'll the Boy Who Lived be doing this time next year."

Harry smacked him on the arm. " You know I hate that stuff."

Neville smiled cheekily at him.  
Harry looked around and then leaned closer. "Want to know a secret?"

"What's that?" said Neville leaning closer.

"You can't tell anyone, 'specially Ginny."

"Ok, what's up." Said Neville leaning closer.

"You my friend." Said Harry. " Are looking at the next Defence Against The Dark Arts Professor."

"NO!" shouted Neville as he forgot himself, but had the decency to feel abashed when Harry gave him a look.

"Wow Harry, that's fantastic. Hey I'll be here next year too. I won't have to eat alone, I can't very well share my meals with Snape can I."

"No we can't have that. But seriously, keep this quiet. Ginny was really worried about us being apart next year, that's why I jumped at it when Dumbledore offered."

"But Harry you'll be her teacher, you can't very well get caught snogging your student."

Harry gave him an offended look. "Neville, I thought you knew me." Then he smiled devilishly. "At least enough to know that I'm too smart to get caught."

Neville chuckled. "Well I think it's great anyway, just fantastic."

"Yeah." Said Harry. He looked over at the door. "Looks like were it mate, time to head to bed."

Harry stood up from the table and drained the rest of the pumpkin juice from his goblet.

Neville follow suit and made to stand.

Harry had taken one step towards the door with Neville right behind him, when he staggered drunkenly and collapsed on the floor.

"HARRY!"

Neville reached down and turned him over.

Harry's eyes had rolled back in his head as if he were having a fit.

"Harry, can you hear me, Harry!" Neville turned to the head table and saw Dumbledore standing to leave also. "Professor, help me, its Harry."

A few straggling students had turned from the exit at the sound of Neville's voice and were hurriedly coming at his call.

"Students! Stay back." Came Dumbledore's voice from across the hall as he hurried over to Harry and Neville.

Rough hands grabbed at Neville's collar as he turned back. It was Harry, his eyes were wide with fright, and he seemed to be trembling as if under a great weight.  
"What is it Harry! What's wrong?"

"Neville." He rasped out.

"What Harry! What is it?"

Harry pulled him closer, only inches away from his reddening face.

"Neville." He whispered again as his eyes rolled back in his head. His trembling increased as his body gave a massive convulsion and with what seemed a Herculean effort he whispered, "Run!"

A split second later his body wracked itself again and as Neville looked on with horror at Harry's tortured face; a blinding light filled his vision and Neville Longbottm, seventh year Gryffindor, was no more.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The Hammer Falls

Albus Dumbledore rasied his pass to the man and with a nod was let in through the door behind him. Walking passed the usual bustle of the hospital ward he came to another door at the far end of the hall. Here he hesitated, seeming to stop and think to himself, before he rasied his chin and pushed on through.

"Good morning Headmaster." Arty Shiller, a round faced former Hufflepuff said from behind his desk against the far wall of what seemed to be an otherwise completely bare room.

"Good morning Mr. Shiller. I hear he is awake?"

Arty smiled at being remembered, but lost it slightly as he nodded in answer to the Headmasters' question.

Dumbledore gave a great sigh and steeled himself. "Can I see him?"

"Your not to go in though, remember I still have my orders."

Dumbledore gave him a benign smile in reply.

Arty walked to the wall behind his desk and tapped it sharply with his wand.

The white wall seemed to distort and with a great shudder it disappeared opening into a similar bare room with the exception of its occupant.

Harry Potter sat against the far wall of the room, apparently not realizing he was being observed. He legs were pulled up underneath him and his head hung down towards his chest, so that all that was visible was his perpetually wild mop of black hair.

Dumbledore turned to Arty. "What has he said, does he remember what happened?"

Arty gave a shrug. "I d'know, they escorted him in on the last shift before I came on. Just said he had woken and was not to be disturbed."

Dumbledore nodded going silent again. _Oh Harry, what must we do now?_

Dumbledore watched the prone boy for a moment longer, then turning to Arty he said. " I think it's time you had a break Mr. Shiller, perhaps we could both enjoy a nice cup of tea, care to retrieve it? I'm getting quite old you know, don't think I can take the strain myself."  
Arty searched the Headmasters eyes, and then with a nod, walk silently out the doors behind them.

Dumbledore raised his wand to the magical barrier in front of him, muttered an incantation and stepped through into the room with Harry.  
There was silence for a moment as the old man took in the appearance of who he had often thought his greatest pupil. He had mastered his magic at an unbelievable rate, taking him beyond the power of only a scant few of the adult witches and wizards alive today.

And he was here today to make sure all that talent would not be wasted.

"Hello Professor." Came a voice from beyond the hair.

"Hello Harry." Dumbledore said quietly, not surprised in the least the boy knew he was there.

Harry raised his head, his green eyes shining suspiciously.

"I've been very worried about you Harry, we all have. When you didn't wake up for so long I…"

Harry leaped to his feet and paced angrily to the far wall, "I didn't want to, I couldn't." he shook his head and his eyes well up again. "Not after… not after what I saw in my dreams."

Dumbledore nodded his head in understanding. Magic was a complicated and mysterious force. It was always there, even in your sub-conscious. Magic telling your slumbering self was almost how a pensive worked really, it intensified the memory and could tell you what had gone on behind your line of sight, just as well as what happened before it.

"So you saw?"

"Yes, Merlin." Harry placed his hand to his forehead. " I saw it, the magic bleeding out of me, and then Neville." His face crumbled as he bit back a sob into the palm of his hand.

Dumbledore crossed the room and placed a hand on the boys quivering shoulder. "We can find the answers Harry. You are not alone in this."

Harry rubbed the back of his hand vigorously over his eyes, and then looked up. "Where am I anyway?"

Dumbledore's hand fell to his side.

"Your at the Ministry of Magic."

"But why aren't I at Hogwarts, or St. Mungos'."

"You were", said Dumbledore " until the Board of Governor's got involved and demanded an investigation to commence immediately." Dumbledore sighed greatly, a habit he had endured since Harry had come into his care. "The untimely death of a student is a serious matter, they were getting pressure from the ministry and they had to act."

Harry nodded.

"It's not the end of the world Harry, it was an accident."

"Was it." Hissed Harry. "You told me remember. You told me I could hurt someone if I wasn't careful. _Emotions are very powerful Harry, you have to be responsible, even in its most benevolent form magic can cause destruction. _I thought I was being careful, really, but now, now I don't know. Maybe no one should have this type of power Professor. Even me."

Dumbledore peered at the young man over his glasses. "How do you feel now Harry?"

"Fine, no, not fine, angry at myself and hurt I guess."

"And yet I'm still here aren't I."

"Yes."

Dumbledore took him by the shoulders. "Remember Harry, the emotion has to be directed, it must have a focus, what happened to Neville was while the magic was flooding out of you body. I could feel the force of it ten meters away, and for many minutes after. Somehow your magic simply found a way out of your body. It had nothing to do with emotion."

Both hope and anguish filled the boy's eyes " What's going to happen to me?"

"There will be a hearing." Said Dumbledore. "They'll ask questions, some that I suspect will be hard to answer. But we'll find a way out of it Harry, don't despair."

Harry's eyes hardened a bit. "I won't fight whatever punishment they decide, whether or not I was I aware of it, Neville's still dead."

"But you'll let me try won't you Harry. I won't let all that is laid before you crumble, I have always felt that your future was mine as well."

Harry looked confused for a moment, taking in the Headmasters pained features. "The Defence job?"

"I am an old man Harry, I suspect that I won't be on this adventure much longer. The Deputy Headmistress would obviously take my place and after… I felt you might, if excepted by the Governor's, be ready for the Headmastership of Hogworts."

Harry's opened and closed his mouth for a few seconds. "Me, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore's eyes crinkled up as he smiled. "Yes, I suppose I knew the moment I saw you at Hogwart's it was as if, as if you had come home."

Harry nodded his agreement. " I remember, I never wanted to go home to the Dursley's, ofcourse there were other reasons for that." And Harry gave the Headmaster a tentative smile of his own.  
"Headmaster Dumbledore." Said a small voice from behind them.

"Yes Arty." He said without turning around.

"Tea's ready."

" I must be going now Harry."

The boy nodded as the smile he had held vanished from his face. "When will the hearing be?"

"Now that you're awake, very soon I should think."

Harry nodded. "Will I be able to see my friends, will I be able to see Ginny?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, but they'll be at the hearing to give you support I suppose."

" Alright."

Dumbledore grasped the boy's arm once more and turned to walk through the barrier. Once the illusion was back in place, he turned to Arty. "Watch over him Mr. Shiller, just as he's watch over all of us."

Arty nodded, and then watched the greatest wizard of the age walk through the double doors at the far end of the room.

…………………………………………………………………………………

"Yes, very good Mr. Potter. Now take the stairwell to your right, turn left along the hall and wait at door three, the doors will open when we are ready." The disembodied voice went quiet and Harry followed the last of the directions.

Fifteen minutes ago, a set of plain black robes had appeared in his bare room and the voice had sounded from nowhere. It instructed him to put them on and wait at the center of the room for further instructions. The instructions had led him through a series of doors and hallways finally leading him here. It was strange he had thought, that he had seen no one on the way. Every hallway was empty of any persons, ministry or otherwise.

He stood staring at the grained oak door in front of him; a minute went by, then two. He caught snatches of scrapping and muttering from behind the door, until finally it creaked open.

The noise from the other side burst upon him as he walked up three steps that led onto a platform.

Wizards and Witches sat on raised seating opposite him. The ones to the front were dressed in shimmering purple robes that he recognized as the Wizengamot and behind them for several more levels rose the public seating. He was drawn to a row of red heads; the Wealeys were all there. Molly sat wringing her hands in her lap as she gave him a watery smile, and Ron and the Twins were shooting murderous looks at the purple robed wizards below them. Hermione was looking nervous as always. Bill and Charlie each gave him a wave, and Ginny looking quite pale raised her hand to her lips and blew him a kiss.

Harry waved back, but stopped short of a smile when he glanced up and saw Neville's Gran in the back row. She looked imperiously down at him for a moment, then gave a short nod and turned her attention to the Wizard next to her. Any joy Harry had at seeing his family washed out of him.

A bell sounded somewhere near the front of the court room and an elderly wizard rose from his seat in the middle of the first row.

"Please have a seat Mr. Potter and we will begin."

Harry nodded and took his seat on a chair in the center of the platform. A door opened to his right and two serious looking Wizards walked into the lower portion of the court, just below Harry.

"These are Misters Wright, and Dogan, they will be administrating the hearing today. Mr. Wright will be arguing for you Mr. Potter and Mr. Dogan for the injured parties, namely the Longbottom family and Wizarding Britian.

"But wait." Said Harry. "I've never even met Mr. Wright before, how can he argue for me?"

" You will find Mr. Potter, that I am quite capable." Said Wright, a tall blond hair wizard with a long nose and serious expression.

The bell sounded again. "Mr. Wright has been apprised of the circumstances surrounding the incident." Said the elderly Wizard. "Now if we may begin."

Just then there was a knock at the door that Wright and Dogan had come through and without so much as an invitation, Albus Dumbledore stepped through.

"Sorry I'm late, floo network seems to be down again."said Dumbledore as he walked to the Harrys' platform, waved his wand in the air; which shimmered for a moment and stepped up gracefully.

The bell sounded again, this time a bit erratically. "Professor Dumbledore, this is a court of Wizarding law, as a member of our order your place is with us but I cannot permit you to sit with the accused!" said the Wizard, who by this time Harry thought must be the head of the Wizengamot.

Dumbledore conjured a chintz armchair and sat down next to Harry. "You will find Boris, that my place is with the Harry as the accused."

A spattering of Whispering broke out in the upper levels and Harry saw Ginny grab Bills arm tightly.

" I don't understand." Said the elderly wizard that Dumbledore seemed to know as Boris.

"This unfortunate circumstance that Harry finds himself in is to be blamed partly on myself."

Harry turned sharply to Dumbledore. "What are you doing?" he whispered harshly.

Dumbledore held his gaze and leaned over to him. "Your Future is mine Harry, remember."

"But you can't, it was my fault."

"We shall see." Whispered Dumbledore. He leaned back in his chair and faced the court again. "Proceed Barristers, the evidence is the same."

Wright and Dogan looked at each other, then turned towards the purple clad Wizards behind them. Harry saw Boris give Dumbledore a long gaze and then nod his head.  
"Mr. Potter." Said Dogan, coming forward towards them. " Is it true that on the night of June the 9th 1998, you were attending the closing feast in Hogwarts Great Hall?"

Harry nodded.

"And was Mr. Longbottom there as well?"

Harry nodded again. It when on like this for several minutes; Dogan asking questions and Harry nodding.

Dogan read off a series of names that Harry recongnized as Hogwarts students that he presumed had seen the accident.

"And what happened as you left the hall?"

"Well." Said Harry. "Neville and I turned to leave, but I'd only taken a step or two, and my legs just gave out. I couldn't really see anything. I heard Neville calling me but I couldn't hear exactly what he was saying."

Dogan nodded his head. "What happened next?"

"I remember feeling my muscles kind of twitching, all over me, and I started to feel some heat coming from underneath me against the floor."

"Was the heat coming from you?" Said Dogan

"Yes, I think so."

"And Then?"

"My vision cleared a bit. I saw Neville turned yelling at someone. The heat was getting worse, it was spreading, it felt like I might explode."

"And did you?"

Harry looked down at Dogan. His black eyes stared back at Harry unabashedly. "Yes, yes I think so."

Harry realized that there was no getting around it. His body, involuntarily or not, had caused the death of a good friend.

Dogan turned back to Wright. "You may question him now."

But before Wright could even open his mouth, Dumbledore spoke from beside him. "If it would please the court, I believe we can skip this unnecessary questioning and head right to the point."

"And that is?" asked Boris, not even rising to his feet this time.

Dumbledore turned to Harry. "Harry did you intentionally attack Mr. Longbottom?"

"No." said Harry

"Did your actions result in his Death?"

Harry eyed Dumbledore. "Yes."

Murmuring broke out in the court again. Someone in the back snapped a picture and a flash went off.

Boris was back ringing his bell and eyeing the crowd behind him. He turned back to Dumbledore. "Certain procedures must be followed Albus, we cannot simply _skip_ them as you say."

" I am merely suggesting that we get to the heart of why Harry is here and why you have magically barricaded yourselves against him."

Silence, only silence met this statement. Harry thought about the room he had stayed in and about his trip to the courtroom. No one had come into contact with him since he'd been awake. No one except the Headmaster.

A witch rose directly behind Boris, it was Madame Bones the Minister of Magic. "Albus, you know we must, if Mr. Potter can't control his magic or in someway may cause harm using it, we must be ready."

Harry shifted in his seat. They were afraid of him, they were afraid he would have a fit again and blow them all to bits. His eyes shifted up to Ginny. Was she afraid of him too?

The Minister was speaking again. "You know I must ask myself, if the boy can do something like he did to Mr. Longbottom in the middle of a fit, what would he do, if he really meant it?"

Harry felt his blood run cold. So it all came back to that did it? The anger rose up inside him. "You know what I can do." He said, before he could stop himself.

"What was that?" asked the Minister.

"You know what I could do." He said again, stronger this time. "What I did to Voldemort."

There was a gasp from the crowd and a woman shrieked somewhere in the back row.

"Oh stop it!" shouted Harry. "He's gone, he won't get you from the grave, I promise, I put him there!"

Madame Bones adjusted her monocle. "Yes we know Mr. Potter, and many here today in this court wonder what you might do with a deadlier spell then what was used to defeat him."

"What does it matter? He's gone, thats what you wanted isn't it!" Harry had half rose in his seat but was stopped by Dumbledore's hand on his arm. "I did what I had to do to live, I did what I had to do to save my friends."

Harry looked up and saw all of them there. He had done it for them, so they could live. He hadn't cared really, about living himself, just as long as they were safe. He glanced over and saw Ginny crying softly against her brothers arm, she looked up when she felt his gaze and gave him a look so full of love, he felt a tear trickle down his face as well.

"What would you have done?" he asked, turning back to the minister.

The minister gave him a hard look. "The Battle of Hogwarts Mr. Potter, tell us about it. Some of us were there, we saw it, but I want to know what to know what you really did."

Harry saw a thousand flashes across his vision, spell light and screams, and that horrible cruel laugh. "Why. Its over." he mumbled

"Because I believe, and this court believes, that you may be a danger because of it. That you may be a danger because of the magic you were taught to accomplish it. And because you used an _Accio _spell to destroy the most powerful Dark Wizard in a century."

………………………………………………………………………….

"_As you wish Harry."_

_Voldemort raised his wand. "Avada Kedavra!"_

_Harry leapt to his left out of the way of the green spell and sent an Impediment jinx back at Voldemort._

_As his curse was deflected he jumped to his feet and ran at Voldemort, catching him around the mid section and hurling them both to the ground. He felt the skeleton body struggle beneath him. "IM NOT ABOVE MUGGLE FIGHTING, YOU BASTARD." He yelled, as he drove his fist as far as he could into the sickly face._

_Voldemort raised a wandless hand to his chest and Harry was thrown back several feet. _

_He leapt up as soon as his back touched the ground, only to meet a cruciatus curse on the way. _

_The pain swept over him in a tidal wave. He felt as if ever cell in his body was bursting to break free. And the laughter, the laughter that seemed to ring over even his screams._

"_Thought you could duel me potter? Thought you could defeat me?" Screamed Voldemort._

_As Harry lay there in agony, visions started to appear before him. At first he thought that this must be his life flashing before his eyes, but then if it was, it hadn't been much of a life. He saw himself as a young boy, being picked on at school for his scar that ran like a lighting bolt across his brow. He saw people gawking at him at Hogwarts, whispering behing their hands. Then he was in a graveyard and Wormtail was cutting the crook of his arm and taking his blood, Voldemort rising out of the cauldron. Then he was in the Headmasters' office and he saw a fleeting look of triumph on the old man's face._

"_The power the Dark Lord knows not…"_

_The power OVER the Dark Lord…_

_The pain stopped and Voldemort was talking again, but Harry didn't hear him._

_The Power OVER the Dark Lord…_

_Harry focused on his wand still clutched in his hand, he was going to die, but why not one last go of it._

_And with every last bit of strength left in him, he screamed…_

"_ACCIO HARRY'S BLOOD!"_

_And everything went black._

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Summoning spells should only work on inanimate objects. You shouldn't be able to just summon someone's heart or something to kill them. But Harry had a connection to Voldemort and really, the blood that ran through his veins _was_ Harry's own blood. The best that he and Dumbledore could figure was that the shared connection in both mind and blood, had allowed Harry to summon it from the Dark Lord. The strange thing was, when members of the order talked to him later, and heard what he had done; they all said that there was no sign of the blood, on Harry or on the ground when they found him.

At the time, Harry felt it was just enough the Son of a Bitch was dead.

"Mister Potter?" said the Minister again, looking down at him from her position above.

Harry shook his head and tried to focus on her.

"Will you please tell the court what happened that night?"

Harry looked around at Dumbledore, who stared blankly back at him, as if to say the decision was his alone. He looked up at the Weasley's and saw on each of their face a blanket plea to cooperate. But really, was it so easy? It was plain that this hearing wasn't about the unfortunate death of his friend Neville. It was about Harry and his magic, and what he planned to do with it in the future.

Since the time he first had known of Wizard's he had found them to be timid in certain matters. Always fearing the unusual, and Harry was one of the most unusual Wizard's that could be. He was young, had fought and won a war against a powerful enemy, and was now very much… Idle.

_Idle hands, lead to evil plans._

Harry looked back at Madame Bones. "No, I don't think I'll tell you."

Muttering broke out across the room, Madame Bones looked quite confused at what to do now, having been flat refused she was left in a very tricky corner. She took the monocle out of her eye, and cleaned it with a conjured rag, apparently vying for time to think.

Replacing the monocle, she looked back to the platform. "Mr. Potter, I am prepared to drop the matter of Mr. Longbottom, if and only if, you swear to undergone a procedure."

"What kind of procedure?" asked Harry warily. Dumbledore had gone still to his left.

"_Magus Reducto_."

A great roar when up from the crowd and several more flashes came from the back of the courtroom.

"NO!" Dumbledore has risen from his seat. "I won't allow it Amelia, the _Magus Reducto_ is a dark spell; you could kill the boy!"

Madame Bones had now gone very red in the face. "Won't allow it? Albus I have always trusted your judgement, but now I must remind you of your position. You are to oversee and protect the students of Hogwarts. _I _must protect all of Wizarding Britain, this boy is a threat to them, and since the last threat was not defused early, I am going to do all that I can to see that this one is stopped NOW!"

Harry sat stunned in his seat. He had heard of the _Magus Reducto,_ the best way to explain it was a magical lobotomy. The Witch or Wizard in question was magically relieved of a certain part of their magic, leaving what someone else had deemed a respectable and usable level. That is if they had any left at all.

He listened for a moment more to the Headmaster and the Minister fighting. Two years ago a different Minister had wanted to contain him, he had fought that Ministry, and he would fight this one also.

"STOP!" Harry shouted over the voices. Anger pulsed threw him and he leveled it just a bit at the Magical barrier in front of the platform.

In a showering burst of sparks, the barrier collapsed outward towards the crowd. Harry rose slowly from his seat, trying to control the rage that seemed bent on lashing out at the people in front of him.

"I WONT HAVE ANYONE TELL ME WHAT TO DO ANY LONGER!" he shouted and the crowd as one shrank back in their seats.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Dumbledore step to his side. He very calmly reached into his robes and pulled out his wand. "Minister, if what I think is about to occur, occurs; then I think it would be wise to have you give the Governor's my resignation as Headmaster of Hogwarts."

Madame Bones only looked resigned and nodded.

Harry took a deep breath. One of them wandless and very outnumbered by the Wizengamot, some of the most powerful Wizards in Britain, they stood waiting for their purple clad opponents to move.

A cry went up from the stands. "Were with you Harry!" Ron and twins had risen from their seats and made their way down the aisle to the steps that led to the platform. The crowd watched silently as Hermione rose behind them and made her way down also.

Harry saw Bill and Charlie look to their parents, and with a nod from each, they too rose and made a walk that over the next few months would tear the Wizarding World more then they could know.

Ron stepped up next to Harry.

"I can't let you do this Ron." Said Harry

"You can and you will." Was his only reply.

"Yeah Harry." Said Fred.

" We're not gonna let these gits turn you into a Squib." Said George.

It was Ginny's turn. She silently walked to her mother, kissed her on the cheek, hugged her father and turned to walk back down the aisle.

Harry watched her make her way down the steps to the lower portion of the courtroom. He was torn between running and grabbing her up in a hug, or pleading with her to stay put. Of course, if Ginny was with him, he could do anything.

She had almost made the steps to the raised platform when a movement out of the corner of his eye distracted him.

Dogan the Barrister had pulled his wand from his robes and was spinning around towards the front of the courtroom. Harry instinctively raised a shield around himself and his friends, but Dogan stopped halfway in his spin and shot a spell in Ginny's direction.

"NO!" shouted Harry, along with various screams from his friends and the crowd alike. Ginny caught unaware, took the spell on her right side and flew to the wall with a sickening crunch.

"Ginny!" Harry made a move to run to her, but spell light flashed before his eyes and stopped him.

The Wizengamot had risen as one and were now raining spells down on the platform from their rasied position. The crowd behind them were either staring in horror at the scene,or turning and running for the exits at the back of the courtroom.

The Weasley brothers and Dumbledore returned the spells, but Harry saw one of the twins take a stunner to the face and he collapsed to the ground.

Harry crouched down almost to his knee's trying to make his way to Ginny. She hadn't been moving and the Wizengamot, who were coming down the stairs to the side were now blocking his vision of her condition.

"Harry!" he turned and saw Hermione trying to hold up Ron who looked like he had taken a nasty spell that left black boils all over his skin.

"Do something!" she cried.

_Do something?_ "Alright."

Harry rose from his crouched position. Even without a wand Harry James Potter was a powerful wizard.

_Focus on the Emotion. _Anger.

_Gather the Magic._ Harry breathed deeply from the smell of magic in the air.

_Direct the Power. _Harry spread his arms as wide as he could.

_Focus on the Desire. _Stop, he thought to himself, just make them stop.

_Release. _Harry swept his arms together and with a clap of his hands, that sounded very much like thunder; the courtroom in front of him went motionless.

Dumbledore conjured a quick barrier that caught the last of the spells that had flown in their direction, and stared around the courtroom in amazement. _What in Merlin's name had the boy done?_

"Well, I did wish them to stop." Harry mumbled to himself.

Ignoring the looks his friends were giving him, he jumped off the stage, and pushed through the forest of upright bodies to where Ginny had collapsed.

_Please let her be all right._

Winding his way between Wizards he came to the wall where she had fallen, and… found nothing. He dropped to his knees and tried to look beneath the purple robes of the Wizengamot._ Where is she?_

"Is she alright Harry?" Hermione called over the still Wizard's

"I can't find her, she's not here."

Suddenly, Harry heard the door on the opposite side of the courtroom burst open, and someone cried out "Colloportus!". Harry made his way back to the stage and saw Tonks and Remus Lupin jump onto the platform.

"Headmaster!" cried Tonks. "Its just as you suspected. We were stopped in the Atruim by the Aurors. We only just got away."

Remus looked gravely at Harry as he made his way over. "Really know how to celebrate your graduation eh?"

Harry just gave him a hard look. Right now wasn't the time for jokes.

" We must leave Harry." Said Dumbledore as he summoned Harry chair over and whispered. "_Portus!"_

" I won't leave without Ginny!"

The Weasley Brothers, those that hadn't been hexed, all nodded their agreement.

Dumbledore raised his hand. " I'm sure she'll be alright, but right now we must leave." Voices could be heard from the door with the locking charm on it.

Harry gave a pained look around to Hermione, looking for support, but she just shook her head, and held on ever tighter to a moaning Ron.

" I'll send Fawkes along to Arthur and Molly with a letter as soon as we're safe at Order Headquarters." Dumbledore looked up into the seats. "That is as long as the ministry has found a way to counter act Harry's most emphatic Freezing jinx by then."

Harry took one last look over towards Ginny's wall, then turned back to the Headmaster and nodded his head.

They all gathered around the chair and pressed a finger to the cold wood. They had all come into the courtroom as friends, and would leave it as friends and quite possibility rebels against Britain's Ministry of Magic.


End file.
